Ahead of the 8 May National Elections you would do well to acquaint yourself with the Political Parties registered on the National level for the elections.
These political parties are contesting for seats in the 2019 National Assembly elections on 8 May 2019.
Please note you STILL need to go to the polls on 8 May 2019 and VOTE in person .........
Today we introduce you to: Agang South Africa
Agang was formed in 2013 by Dr Mamphela Ramphele, who left the party in 2014 just after Agang had won two seats in the National Assembly in that year’s elections. Since then, the sole visible Agang representative has been Andries Tlouamma, well known for his bizarre/colourful remarks in Parliament – including a recent suggestion that load shedding should take place “only at Jacob Zuma’s house”.
Manifesto: https://www.agangsa.org.za/manifesto/
Agang South Africa is a South African political party, formed by anti-apartheid activist Mamphela Ramphele on 18 February 2013, although the party claims on its website that it was founded on 22 June 2013, which was the date of the party’s first official congress.
The party encourages reforms towards direct governance, striving to “build a stronger democracy in which citizens will be at the centre of public life”; and intends to challenge the governing African National Congress in the 2014 general election. Agang is a Setswana word meaning “let us build”.
On 28 January 2014, the Democratic Alliance (DA) announced that Ramphele had accepted an invitation to stand as its presidential candidate in the 2014 general election, and the DA and Agang were set to merge. On 31 January 2014, Ramphele stated that she would not take up DA party membership and would remain the leader of Agang, resulting in confusion. On 2 February 2014, Helen Zille stated that Ramphele had reneged on her agreement to stand as the DA’s presidential candidate. Ramphele subsequently apologised for the reversal of her decision, saying that the timing was not right as the reaction to it had shown people were unable to overcome race-based party politics. On 9 February 2014, following statements by Helen Zille that donor funding issues were behind the failed merger, Ramphele named business magnate Nathan Kirsh as a funder of Agang and said he would continue to fund the new party.
In the 2014 election, the party received 52,350 votes, or 0.28% of the total, and won two seats in the National Assembly of South Africa. Following internal conflict within the party, Ramphele announced her withdrawal from politics on 8 July 2014.
The following aims are listed on the party’s website:
- changing from the current system of proportional representation and party lists to a system of constituency-based representation, which South Africa had before 1994
- increasing salaries of public servants
- reducing employment in mining and agriculture, through modernisation, and increasing employment in the service sector
- improving education by unspecified means
- adjusting foreign policy to that which creates jobs and boosts the economy.
Agang SA national leadership team as announced at the launch of the party’s manifesto in Atteridgeville, outside Pretoria on 8 March 2014.
- Mamphela Ramphele – President (left July 2014)
- Andries Tlouamma – Deputy President
- Mike Tshishonga – Chairperson
- Sam Njela – Secretary-General
- Johanna Mphogo – Deputy Secretary-General
- Garth Towell – Treasurer
- – National Spokesperson and Policy Convenor
- Andrew Gasnolar – Deputy National Spokesperson and Deputy Policy Convenor
- Nyameka Mguzulo – Youth Forum Convenor
- Angela Pitsi – Women Convenor
This information is gathered from the IEC and the above party website or publicly available documents.
Click here to see ALL 2019’s registered national parties.
Alan Straton
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